Campers in the Occupy Oakland encampment emerge from their tents after a night of violence in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

Campers in the Occupy Oakland encampment emerge from their tents...

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Mayor Jean Quan listen to the peoples concerns in an open forum about Occupy Oakland, Thursday Nov. 3, 2011, in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle

Mayor Jean Quan listen to the peoples concerns in an open forum...

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Phillip Johnson, 49 years old, of Oakland addresses the City Council and Mayor Jean Quan in an open forum about Occupy Oakland, Thursday Nov. 3, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. " It's time for them to go," says Johnson.

Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle

Phillip Johnson, 49 years old, of Oakland addresses the City...

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Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan addresses the City Council and Mayor Jean Quan during a special meeting about Occupy Oakland, Thursday Nov. 3, 2011, Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle

Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan addresses the City Council and...

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The Oakland City Council President Larry Reid tells the people in the gallery to quit down during an open forum meeting about Occupy Oakland, Thursday Nov. 3, 2011, in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle

The Oakland City Council President Larry Reid tells the people in...

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Occupy Oakland protesters claim a vacant building during a march on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. Thousands of anti-Wall Street protesters took to Oakland's streets as part of a day-long series of events, called a citywide strike, aimed at asserting the movement's strength and shutting down commerce. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Photo: Noah Berger, AP

Occupy Oakland protesters claim a vacant building during a march on...

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An anarchy symbol is painted the entrance to an office building at 1333 Broadway in Oakland, Calif., following an Occupy Oakland protest early Thursday morning, Nov. 3, 2011. After a mainly peaceful day-long rally by thousands of anti-Wall Street demonstrators, several hundred reconvened during the night with a few painting graffiti, breaking windows and setting fire to garbage cans. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Occupy Oakland Calif., protesters cheer as they climb on tractor trailers loaded with shipping containers at the Port of Oakland, Wednesday Nov. 2, 2011, effectively shutting down the United States' fifth busiest port during a day of non-stop protesting in Oakland. (AP Photo, Kent Porter, Santa Rosa Press Democrat)

Photo: Kent Porter, AP

Occupy Oakland Calif., protesters cheer as they climb on tractor...

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An Occupy Oakland protester, lit by a flare, rallies on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. Thousands of anti-Wall Street protesters took to Oakland's streets as part of a day-long series of events, called a citywide strike, aimed at asserting the movement's strength and shutting down commerce. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Photo: Noah Berger, AP

An Occupy Oakland protester, lit by a flare, rallies on Wednesday,...

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Graffiti covers a building on Broadway following an Occupy Oakland protest on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. After a mainly peaceful day-long protest by thousands of anti-Wall Street demonstrators, several hundred rallied through the night with a few painting graffiti, breaking windows and setting fire to garbage cans. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

The Occupy Oakland protesters set a fire on trash to make a barricade as the police officers form a line to disperse the protesters on November 3, 2011 in Oakland, California. AFP Photo/ Kimihiro Hoshino (Photo credit should read KIMIHIRO HOSHINO/AFP/Getty Images)

Photo: Kimihiro Hoshino, AFP/Getty Images

The Occupy Oakland protesters set a fire on trash to make a...

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An Oakland dock worker (right) expresses his frustration with a protestor attempting to close an entrance gate in the port early Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

An Oakland dock worker (right) expresses his frustration with a...

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Protestors clean up after giving up a barricade to the port's entrance at 3rd Street and Adeline early Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

Protestors clean up after giving up a barricade to the port's...

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Aaron Thomas, (right) of Oakland, helps remove a dumpster which had been used to barricade the port's entrance at 3rd Street and Adeline early Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Protestors discuss plans to block other entrances to the port while protecting the barricade at 3rd Street and Adeline early Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

Protestors discuss plans to block other entrances to the port while...

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Aaron Thomas, of Oakland, sits on top of a dumpster at the barricade at 3rd Street and Adeline early Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

Aaron Thomas, of Oakland, sits on top of a dumpster at the...

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A truck is unable to pass a barricade at 3rd Street and Adeline early Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

A truck is unable to pass a barricade at 3rd Street and Adeline...

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Oakland dock worker Anthony Lediege (gray sweatshirt) talks with protestors at the barricade at 3rd Street and Adeline early Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif. "Aren't we all the 99%," Lediege said in support of the protestors.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

Oakland dock worker Anthony Lediege (gray sweatshirt) talks with...

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A truck full of protestors intent on closing other port gate entrances passes a container truck attempting to cross the barricade at 3rd Street and Adeline early Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

A truck full of protestors intent on closing other port gate...

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A protestor takes a sip from his mug after forcing a truck driver to turn around at the barricade at 3rd Street and Adeline early Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

A protestor takes a sip from his mug after forcing a truck driver...

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A protestor talks with a truck driver attempting to cross the barricade at 3rd Street and Adeline early Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

A protestor talks with a truck driver attempting to cross the...

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A truck driver expresses his frustration at protestors barricading the Oakland port's entrance at 3rd Street and Adeline early Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

A truck driver expresses his frustration at protestors barricading...

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A police cruiser turns onto Broadway from 14th Street in front of the RiteAid drug store, which suffered major damage, in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011. A general strike called by Occupy Oakland organizers turned ugly after midnight resulting in widespread damage throughout the downtown area.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

A police cruiser turns onto Broadway from 14th Street in front of...

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A woman uses an ATM (left) while workers clean up at the Citibank branch at 14th and Broadway streets in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011. A general strike called by Occupy Oakland organizers turned ugly after midnight resulting in widespread damage throughout the downtown area.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

A woman uses an ATM (left) while workers clean up at the Citibank...

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A city employee removes graffiti from the walgreens store at 14th and Broadway in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011. A general strike called by Occupy Oakland organizers turned ugly after midnight resulting in widespread damage throughout the downtown area.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

A city employee removes graffiti from the walgreens store at 14th...

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A repair crew removes scratches from window at Tully's coffee shop at 14th and Broadway streets in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011. A general strike called by Occupy Oakland organizers turned ugly after midnight resulting in widespread damage throughout the downtown area.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

A repair crew removes scratches from window at Tully's coffee shop...

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Two men assess the damage caused by a small demonstrators who went on a rampage in Oakland, Calif. in the early morning hours on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011, after a day of largely peaceful protests by Occupy Oakland supporters.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

Two men assess the damage caused by a small demonstrators who went...

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A cleaning crew removes graffiti from the RiteAid drug store at 14th and Broadway streets after overnight violence by Occupy Oakland protesters in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

A cleaning crew removes graffiti from the RiteAid drug store at...

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Pedestrians walk past a graffiti-tagged building on Broadway Street in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011 after rioting occurred in the early morning hours following a day of mostly peaceful demonstrations by Occupy Oakland supporters.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

Pedestrians walk past a graffiti-tagged building on Broadway Street...

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A man walks a baby stoller past a burned dumpster on 16th Street in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011. A general strike called by Occupy Oakland organizers turned ugly after midnight resulting in widespread damage throughout the downtown area.

A crew working for the Community Business District removes graffiti from a building at 14th and Broadway streets after overnight violence by Occupy Oakland protesters in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

A crew working for the Community Business District removes graffiti...

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A poster is visible through a smashed window at the Men's Wearhouse clothing store on Broadway Street in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011. An all-day general strike called by Occupy Oakland organizers turned ugly after midnight resulting in widespread damage throughout the downtown area.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

A poster is visible through a smashed window at the Men's Wearhouse...

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A crew working for the Community Business District removes graffiti from a building at 14th and Broadway streets after overnight violence by Occupy Oakland protesters in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

A crew working for the Community Business District removes graffiti...

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Broken glass is shown at a Men's Warehouse building in downtown Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011 after a Occupy Wall Street protest earlier. Cleanup work is under way at Oakland's city hall plaza the morning after a massive anti-Wall Street protest turned violent and chaotic. Graffiti is covering a number of businesses in the immediate area around Frank Ogawa Plaza, where thousands had gathered for a mostly peaceful protest Wednesday. Some windows also are broken, and debris is littering the street. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Photo: Paul Sakuma, AP

Broken glass is shown at a Men's Warehouse building in downtown...

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Volunteer clean up crews (below) speak an individual inside of the Tully's Coffee shop which was vandalized the night prior on Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

Volunteer clean up crews (below) speak an individual inside of the...

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A protestor sleeps on the steps of Oakland City Hall on Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

A protestor sleeps on the steps of Oakland City Hall on Thursday,...

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Brandishing a shotgun, Phil Tagami, manager general partner of California Capital and Investment Group, protected his company's Rotunda Building from an infiltration of vandals during Wednesday night's riots.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

Brandishing a shotgun, Phil Tagami, manager general partner of...

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Brandishing a shotgun, Phil Tagami, manager general partner of California Capital and Investment Group, protected his company's Rotunda Building from an infiltration of vandals during Wednesday night's riots. Despite his efforts, one of the windows to Men's Warehouse was broken.

Photo: Beck Diefenbach, Special To The Chronicle

Brandishing a shotgun, Phil Tagami, manager general partner of...

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The Oakland Mayor Jean Quan listen to the peoples concerns in an open forum, Thursday Nov. 3, 2011, at a special meeting about Occupy Oakland in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle

The Oakland Mayor Jean Quan listen to the peoples concerns in an...

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The Oakland Mayor Jean Quan listen to the peoples concerns in an open forum, Thursday Nov. 3, 2011, at a special meeting about Occupy Oakland in Oakland, Calif.

A majority of the Oakland City Council indicated late Thursday that they would like an end to the Occupy Oakland encampment in front of City Hall, but they did not vote on any proposals.

The statements came at the end of a five-hour meeting during which hundreds of people crammed into the council chambers for an emotionally charged discussion about whether to allow the encampment to remain at Frank Ogawa Plaza with city support. Several times, the rowdy crowd shouted down city officials as they tried to speak.

But after hearing from speakers who support the camp and others who said it hurts the city, Councilwoman Desley Brooks, a strong supporter of the camp, expressed reservations.

"I believe and understand the lack of hope and pain and frustration that people are feeling," said Brooks, who represents the East Oakland and who had camped with protesters for the first two nights and had been a regular visitor. "But I have been extremely troubled by how far do we allow your rights to go and infringe on other people's rights."

Brooks said the City Council is one of the most progressive in the nation, but added that campers did not try to work with the council.

"This is a council that would have worked with you," she said.

Brooks emphasized that the movement had a greater significance than what campers may realize.

"This is bigger than Oakland," she said. "It's bigger than a space. The movement doesn't die because you aren't able to camp in front of City Hall."

Brooks' speech was referenced by every council person who followed her as well as Mayor Jean Quan. The consensus was striking, in part, because Brooks has had bitter disagreements with several other city leaders, including Quan.

Quan did not say whether she will seek an end to the camp, but she said that about half the businesses in downtown feel the camp had been doing "a lot worse."

Since the encampment started, two businesses have pulled out of a total of 50,000 square feet of commercial office space downtown, and another company with 100 employees decided not to open an office, Haraburda had told the council.

"The situation we find ourselves in is absolutely unacceptable," said Haraburda, who was heckled loudly by camp supporters. "We want the Occupy Oakland (camp) closed."

In a city with a high unemployment rate, Quan said, "Losing 3- to-400 jobs ... is pretty painful."

Quan said she also received a letter from the CEO of a company in Oakland that had 500 employees. The CEO, whom she did not identify, said that the protests that seem to disrupt businesses twice a year might prompt him to leave.

Several times a year, Quan said, "he's not sure his workers can get downtown safely."

Referencing a speaker who had said the city would go bankrupt, Quan said, "When you say you don't care if we go bankrupt, it makes us question whether you care for us."

The crowd was mostly silent as Quan spoke.

Earlier in the evening, however, the crowd shouted down Council President Larry Reid, interim Police Chief Howard Jordan and City Administrator Deanna Santana as they presented updates on the 25-day-old squatter village, which as of Thursday had about 165 tents.

Councilwoman Nancy Nadel, who represents the downtown area, intended to ask the council to adopt a resolution Thursday to sanction the camp in front of City Hall and to provide city support. But her resolution was strongly opposed by some people at the meeting, including residents and business groups that said the encampment has been destructive to the city's ability to attract and retain business and provide jobs. Hours into the meeting, Nadel said she would postpone seeking a vote on the resolution.

Wanting an end to the camp has been easier said than done.

On Oct. 20 and 21, the city posted a notice asking campers to leave and posted an eviction notice, respectively. The camp was cleared in a police raid on Oct. 25, but the next night, campers re-took Frank Ogawa Plaza.

Shon Kae, who has come to the camp every day since it first emerged on Oct. 10, questioned how the city would go about ending the camp.

"The question is how would they do it?" said Kae, 31, of San Francisco.

Kae said that there's deep distrust on the part of the city as well as campers.

"I think both sides are stuck in the image that if either side gives an inch, they'll take a mile," he said.

Nadel wants city departments - including public works, parks and recreation and the police - "to collaborate with protesters for the safe and lawful use of public spaces."

She also wants the council to discourage any police action in the camp.

At one point during the meeting, Jordan described how his officers had been surrounded by protesters and physically assaulted Oct. 25 as they cleared the Occupy camp.

Jordan said that his officers were pelted with rocks, bottles, paint, urine and feces as they swept the camp.

"Liar," some people at the meeting shouted.

Reid struggled to control the chambers at many points. He had two of the 16 uniformed police officers at the meeting remove one speaker who refused to leave the podium. As people shouted down Jordan, Reid warned, "Keep yelling - I will ask you to leave."

The police union has estimated the city's costs in dealing with Occupy last week was more than $1 million, while Santana told The Chronicle this week that the police costs alone for part of last week totaled $700,000.

"I am appalled that the city has even considered using our meager tax dollars to harm poor and working-class people," said Molly Bolt, 30, an Oakland resident who spoke to the council with her toddler in her arms. "A million dollars could have moved every single person in that occupation into a studio apartment."

The crowd erupted into cheers.

The camp began with roughly 20 tents. By the time of the Oct. 25 police sweep, the entire plaza was covered with about 100 tents, a cooking area, a medic tent and even a Kids Zone.

Those things - as well as several hazards that prompted the police sweep - have re-emerged, city officials said.

The camp has a kitchen, which Wednesday included a propane stove, said Arturo Sanchez, assistant to the city administrator. Also, campers have rigged a web of extension cords that is buried under hay, Sanchez said. Combustible structures are being built.

Many people at the meeting decried police use of force.

However, one speaker, Viola Hampton, 73, expressed support for both the camp and police, saying she understands the need of police to sometimes use force to handle people who are violent or are vandals.

"They're there to protect us," Hampton said.

Other speakers said the camp must go.

"Oakland is a compassionate city, but people take advantage of Oakland," said Phillip Johnson, 49, a lifelong resident. "Somebody has to stand up for this city. Ms. Quan, you're a good person, but the business community doesn't like this."